Peter Hackney canvasses what community leaders think were the national highlights of the year that’s gone, and their hopes and wishes for 2010.

In many ways, 2009 was a watershed for our community.

The year saw law reform in favour of our community on an unprecedented scale, thanks to the Same-Sex Relationships (Equal Treatment in Commonwealth Laws) Act in general law reform and superannuation. The reforms mean that 2010 will be the first full year in history in which GLBT people have the same level of recognition as opposite-sex couples (at least on paper) in federal legislation such as tax, health, social security, superannuation and aged care.

But there’s still more to do. Relationship recognition for queer people remains sub-par, for example, and our community leaders are bristling with wishes, hopes and ideas they’d like to see implemented in 2010.

Kellie McDonald from the NSW Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby (GLRL) is a good example.

McDonald was pleased by various reforms and developments in 2009, including the recommendations made by the NSW Parliament Law and Justice Committee to remove discrimination against same-sex couples and their children, and the recommendations that came out of the National Human Rights Consultation to (amongst other things) develop and implement a Human Rights Act.

But ask her what she’d like to see happen in 2010, and she’s off with a swag of ideas, highlighting just how much work remains to bring about true equality for our communities.

“The GLRL would like to see that, in the best interests of children, same-sex couples become eligible to apply to adopt,” she says.

“We would also like to see NSW surrogacy law reform which includes the development of a scheme which would allow birth parents to relinquish their parenting rights and be able to transfer them to the intended parents.”

But wait, there’s more: “The GLRL would also like to see the Federal Government support full marriage equality, and the implementation of federal anti-discrimination provisions which protect our community against unfair discrimination at a Commonwealth level.”

The sentiments are expressed by McDonald are, of course, shared by many other GLBT individuals and organisations – but it is the wish for full marriage equality that is central to Australian Marriage Equality’s (AME) plans for 2010.

AME spokesperson Alex Greenwich says he was very encouraged by developments in 2009. In particular, he was thrilled by “the biggest turnout for marriage equality that Australia has ever seen, at the National Day of Action for Same-Sex Marriage on August 1.”

“The sight of thousands of people from all walks of life, all coming together to support marriage equality was a personal highlight of my year.”

Like McDonald, however, Greenwich says there’s lots left to do, and high on his wish list for 2010 is the issuing of certificates of non-impediment by the Federal Government to Australian same-sex couples who want to get married overseas.

Greenwich would also like to see “the incredible momentum for same-sex marriage rights in 2009 to keep growing through 2010” and with 2010 being a Federal Election year, he wants marriage equality on the agenda as a key election issue.

As Australia’s largest GLBT health and well-being organisation, ACON’s wishes for 2010 are somewhat broader – but ACON’s hopes share a kinship with other groups in terms of focussing on improving the lives of our community members.

ACON CEO Nicolas Parkhill says his biggest wish for 2010 is to “see a real decrease in HIV rates not only in NSW but across Australia and the Asia-Pacific region. That would bring me real joy.”

Parkhill would also like to see GLBT health issues “more broadly recognised” by state and federal governments, adding: “We have a lot of work to do in getting recognition of the unique health issues facing our community.”

Smaller, grassroots organisations have their place too. Community Action Against Homophobia (CAAH), was instrumental in 2009’s NDA, as well as the National Year of Action (NYA) for Same-Sex Marriage that’s currently active.

Like AME’s Alex Greenwich, CAAH co-convenor Emilia Lawonski would like to see marriage equality become a major election issue in this Federal Election year. And CAAH has the drive to help achieve that, she says.

“We have many exciting new projects that will be launched and hope to have a large marriage equality contingent in the Mardi Gras Parade this year.”

In other words, CAAH is planning more of the same – only better. A fine sentiment, and one that could sum up the hopes and wishes of all our community groups and their leaders across the nation in 2010.

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